by C. G. Mosley
Cliff tried to put the thought out of his head and concentrated on the narrow trail ahead of him. He could hear the wood ape chasing after him, its large feet crashing violently against the forest floor with every step. Cliff dared not look back and tried with all his might to run at a faster pace. The wood ape quickly closed the gap and Cliff could sense the creature preparing to grab him from behind. He quickly turned his body and pointed the Colt 45 the lumbering beast bearing down on him. Cliff pulled the trigger and the thunderous blast expelled a bullet that struck the wood ape in the chest. To his surprise and relief, the wood ape’s pace slowed down and Cliff managed to pull away again, leaving the injured beast behind in the forest.
***
Sheriff Cochran brought the large patrol car to an abrupt halt upon entering Cliff Lowe’s driveway. He emerged from the vehicle and the trailing dust cloud overtook him as he quickly strode toward the house.
“Is it still out there?” he asked, unable to contain his excitement.
Cliff nodded. “I think so,” he said.
He was seated in a rocking chair on the front porch of his home. The Colt was lying across his lap and his face was ashen.
“Are you alright?”
Cliff nodded, his eyes wide. “It came after me,” he muttered.
Cochran approached him and patted him on the shoulder. “You did well,” he said. “And most importantly, you didn’t get killed.”
Cliff chuckled uneasily and rose to his feet. “I suppose we should head back.”
“No,” Cochran said. “You’ve been a big help. I think I’ll take it from here.”
Cliff nodded but seemed clearly disappointed. “I don’t feel like I’ve done anything.”
The sheriff clutched his shoulder and moved so he could look Cliff in the eyes. “Mr. Lowe, do you know what today is?”
Cliff nodded. “Halloween,” he said in a voice just above a whisper.
“That’s right. Tonight, the town of Dunn will be overtaken by children out trick or treating.”
“Yeah,” Cliff replied, somewhat confused.
Cochran smiled and went on to explain. “If you’ve incapacitated that thing, there are going to be a lot of kids tonight that will be far safer than they would’ve been if it was still on the loose.”
“Well, it hasn’t been caught yet,” he responded with a worried expression.
The sheriff sighed and gently forced Cliff back into his rickety rocking chair. “That’s true,” he said. “So, I better get going. You sit tight and I’ll be back in a minute.”
Cliff nodded and resumed rocking. “Be careful, Sheriff.”
Cochran said nothing but turned away and retreated into the woods. It was now mid-morning and though the sun had warmed the air enough to where he could no longer see his own breath, the sheriff kept his heavy coat on to stay comfortable. As he walked, he couldn’t help but notice the eerie silence around him. Though he was unable to put his finger on what exactly was causing it, Cochran could feel anxiety trying to overtake him. He’d seen and endured a lot over the past year where wood apes and other paranormal creatures were concerned but despite that fact, it was nearly impossible for him to shake the feeling of an impending doom looming just ahead of him.
For a moment, he considered turning back. Perhaps he’d be better off calling for one of his deputies to assist. However, he also knew this would take time. More time would increase the odds that the wood ape would somehow find a way to escape despite its injuries. This was a critical moment in providing safety to Baker County on one of its most vulnerable nights of the year. Cochran pushed the wavering thoughts from his mind and pressed onward. He wondered how much searching he’d have to do to find the dangerous creature. In his mind, he anticipated the search taking a bit of time. He assumed there would be a blood trail to follow. Cochran’s mind then wandered to what he was going to do when he found the beast.
With a little luck, the damn thing will be dead.
No sooner did the wood ape’s den come into view did the current questions in Cochran’s mind find their answers. Before him, and sprawled across the forest floor mere feet from the entry to the den, lay the rogue wood ape. Cochran was slightly taken aback at the site of the creature. He’d expected it to take a bit longer than what it did to locate it. The thing was not moving though he could clearly see it was alive as its chest rose and fell with each rattled breath it took. It had lost a lot of blood but somehow, the creature still lived.
Sheriff Cochran eyed it for a moment as he contemplated what to do next. The thing’s stench filled the air and he had to stifle the urge to wretch as he moved near it. Cochran pointed the barrel of his gun directly at the wood ape’s head as he used his other hand to retrieve handcuffs from his belt.
“I hope these things fit you,” he muttered, reaching for the wood apes’ left wrist.
To his utter amazement, the cuff fit the wrist, but just barely. The creature’s hair was coarse and matted with mud and dirt, but it was nothing compared to the mess that comprised the right wrist. Cochran studied the gnarly looking bear trap that was snapped tight on the beast’s right wrist. There would be no placing the other cuff around it with the trap in the way. The hair was matted heavily with dried blood and it seemed to still be oozing more. Much to his dismay, he didn’t see any way to remove the trap unless he used both of his hands to do so. Even then, it was going to be a chore.
With great reluctance, Cochran returned his gun to the holster on his belt. He then straddled the wood ape’s arm and began the tedious task of pulling it free. After a great deal of struggling, the sheriff somehow managed to get his fingers under the jaws of the trap. His hands were suddenly covered in warm blood and it made it somewhat difficult to get a good grip. After a few attempts, he finally managed to grab the jaws of the trap and pull hard enough to open it just enough to slide it off the wood ape’s arm. With the beast free, Cochran dropped the trap and the exhaustion that derived from the ordeal caused him to inadvertently tumble to the ground.
“Damnit,” he spat as he quickly regained his footing.
With a quickness that belied his age, Cochran turned his attention back to the wood ape and he again drew his sidearm. The beast remained unconscious and the sheriff laughed as he considered how terrified he must’ve looked. After regaining his composure, he set to work on cuffing the gory mess that remained of the wood ape’s right wrist. He once again straddled the massive creature’s arm and hooked the cool steel under the hairy wrist. Unfortunately, the normally quick motion of locking the cuff wasn’t quick enough. The wood ape suddenly jarred awake, yanking its arm away from the sheriff.
Cochran was startled by the lightning speed and he clumsily fell forward to the ground again. The gun he’d been holding broke free of his grip and tumbled a few feet away in the leaves ahead of him. The sheriff wasted no time to see what the wood ape was doing and instead put all his attention on retrieving the gun. He crawled quickly over to it, reaching it in mere seconds. Just as his fingertip touched the grip, Cochran felt a vice-like pressure clamp down on his ankle and yank him backward.
Before he’d even had a chance to register what was happening, Cochran found himself hanging upside down and looking directly into the face of pure evil. The wood ape was standing, holding onto his ankle with its good hand. Cochran’s hat fell from his head and he frantically began trying to shove a hand in his pocket to retrieve his pocketknife. The wood ape, seemingly aware of what he was doing, opened its fanged mouth and released a terrifying roar that chilled the sheriff’s blood.
Chapter 11
The wood ape’s breath was hot, and the odor was putrid. Sheriff Cochran was fully aware he was moments away from his death. Surprisingly, he wasn’t as frightened as he thought he would be. He’d seen firsthand what these beasts were capable of and he knew if there was any chance of survival, there was no time to ponder it. Cochran’s fingers finally found the pocketknife he’d been searching for, and he quickly pulled it from his pants
pocket and opened it up. With no hesitation, Cochran plunged it forward into the creature’s chest. The wood ape roared in response and though Cochran’s effort had apparently inflicted pain, the beast’s reaction seemed to come more from rage than pain.
The wood ape continued to hold him upside down with a painful grip that caused his foot to go completely numb. The now angry beast used its free hand to pull the blade free from its flesh. It studied the knife with its good eye and snarled furiously as it tossed it to the ground. Cochran used the moment of distraction to use his fists to pummel the wood ape in the center of its chest, but the effort was to no avail. The beast drew back and threw the sheriff into the air like a frisbee. Cochran struck the trunk of an oak tree with his shoulder and he fell painfully to the earth. He yowled in pain, immediately sensing that the shoulder had become dislocated from its socket.
The wood ape showed no empathy and strode toward him with purpose. Cochran could see a steady trickle of blood emitting from the knife wound he’d given the beast, but to his dismay, the wood ape didn’t even seem to notice. Cochran attempted to get to his feet, but he simply was not quick enough. Once the wood ape reached him, it reached down and picked him up by his throat. Cochran was slammed against a tree, the air immediately expelled from his lungs. Stubbornly refusing to give up, the sheriff began kicking the beast in the stomach. He continued to do this even as the oxygen supply to his brain became more and more depleted. The world began to turn black and as the last moment of his life came to a close, Cochran’s eyes drifted up to the forest canopy and the blue sky beyond. A sadness washed over him as he realized he’d never slowed down to appreciate the beautiful things in life.
Darkness…
***
“Please wake up!”
The voice was friendly but clearly panicked. It had a pleading tone but demanding too.
“Sheriff, wake up!”
Cochran’s eyes fluttered open and he again gazed upon the sky above him, minus the forest canopy.
“Wh—what happened?” he muttered in a raspy voice, just above a whisper.
“The wood ape got you,” the voice replied.
Cochran turned his head to the familiar voice and realized it as Cliff Lowe speaking to him.
“I thought I was dead.”
“You should’ve been.”
It was a different voice this time, yet still familiar. This one colder and less sympathetic to his current state. Cochran looked over at the man speaking and blinked his eyes, trying to focus. The blue-rimmed spectacles gave it away.
“When you feel up to it, I think a thank you is in order,” Dr. Michael Emmerich said with an arrogance he made no effort to stifle.
The sheriff stared at him, bewildered.
“He showed up just in time and saved your hide,” Cliff explained. He then looked over to his right and gestured with his chin for the sheriff to have a look.
Cochran used his hands to push himself up to a seated position on the ground and immediately winced when he felt the pain in his left shoulder.
“Careful, Sheriff,” Emmerich said. “Your shoulder appears to be dislocated. There is an ambulance on the way.”
With Cliff’s help, he finally managed to sit up and his eyes widened when he realized what Cliff was trying to get him to see. To his left, a hulking, hairy mass lay on in the dirt, breathing deeply. The sight startled him to the point he nearly fell over.
Cliff laughed and patted him on his uninjured shoulder. “It’s alright, Sheriff,” he said soothingly. “It’s knocked out. The doctor and his men found you in the woods and popped that thing in the ass with a few tranquilizer darts as you lost consciousness.”
Cochran sighed and then attempted to get on his feet. It was a struggle, but with Cliff’s help, he finally was standing.
“I suppose you’re right,” he said, glancing at Emmerich. “I owe you a big thank you. So, thank you.”
Doctor Emmerich acknowledged him with the narrowing of his beady eyes but he said nothing.
“But how the hell did you know I was out here?” Cochran asked.
Emmerich shrugged. “I have my ways.”
The sheriff, now feeling somewhat rejuvenated, furrowed his brow and approached the doctor. “Bullshit,” he snapped. “Tell me how you knew I was out here.”
“Perhaps we can discuss that matter later,” Emmerich said. “At this time, I think getting you medical attention is more important.”
As if on cue, a white ambulance, trimmed in orange and blue, rolled onto the gravel driveway that led to Cliff’s home. As the paramedics emerged from the vehicle, Emmerich turned to two other men that, judging by the way they were dressed in all white, were also from the lab and had accompanied him.
“Let’s strap the specimen to the backboard and load it into the van,” he ordered them.
As the two men went to the task, Cochran approached Emmerich, grabbing him by the arm. “How did you find me?” he persisted.
Doctor Emmerich glanced at the sheriff’s hand, now firmly clutching his bicep. He wrenched his arm free. “Oh please,” he snapped. “Anyone in this county with a police scanner can find out more than enough information to track your every move, Sheriff.”
Cochran opened his mouth to discuss the matter further but before he could, he was swarmed with paramedics.
“I’m fine,” he grumbled.
“It’s just precautionary, Sheriff,” a red-headed woman said as she pulled a latex glove over her hand. “Raise your chin and let me look at your neck.”
Cochran looked on as Emmerich’s men loaded the wood ape into the back of a white van. His eyes then moved to where the female paramedic was standing. Her arms were crossed, and her lips were pursed slightly. She and her counterpart did not even seem to pay any attention to anything the men in white coveralls were doing. “Sheriff, raise your chin, please.”
He sighed and then did what he was told. The woman gently moved her fingers along his throat, prodding slightly. “Does that hurt?”
“No,” he lied.
“That’s surprising,” she muttered. “Anything else hurting?”
Cochran closed his eyes. He knew what was coming next. “Yeah, I think my shoulder is dislocated.”
The woman did a double-take and then looked over at her counterpart. “Did you know this?”
The man nodded and drew near them. “Yeah, sorry, forgot to tell you.”
The redhead rolled her eyes. “Well, come on then,” she told the man. “This is your specialty.”
The male paramedic smirked and gently examined Cochran’s shoulder. “Sheriff, I’m gonna need you to come over to the ambulance and lay down.”
Cochran sighed again and then trudged gloomily over to the ambulance. From that point, he was given instructions on how to lay and what to do with his arm. The next thing he knew, the male paramedic had grabbed his arm and pulled it. Cochran howled in pain and obscenities.
“Sorry about that,” the paramedic said, his slight smirk returning. “Most people would rather I just surprise them.”
The sheriff wiped tears from his eyes and forced himself to refrain from grabbing the guy by the collar. “Well, I’m not most people, son.”
“Does anything else hurt?”
It was the redhead again.
“Absolutely not,” he lied again as he slowly moved his shoulder around. Truthfully, he wondered if one of his ribs was cracked.
“It’s going to be very sore,” she said. “Even worse tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” Cochran answered as he exited the rear of the ambulance.
“Are you sure you won’t come to the hospital so they can look you over a bit more?” she asked.
“Absolutely not,” Cochran said, purposely using the same phrase and tone again.
He made his way to his patrol car and as he opened the door to get in, the male paramedic called out to him.
“Hey, Sheriff! Is it true what happened to you?”
Cochran stared at him.
“Was it a Sasquatch that did this to you?”
The sheriff adjusted his hat and bit his lower lip. “What do you think, kid?”
The man looked over at the redhead. She shrugged.
“I think it’s probably true,” he said finally, grinning.
Cochran nodded and looked toward the trees behind Cliff’s home. “Well, if it is, I’d probably get going if I were you.”
He then got into the car and backed out of the gravel driveway. As he sped away, the paramedics looked to Cliff Lowe standing behind them with his arms crossed.
“There is definitely more of them out there if you guys want t—”
“No, that’s quite alright,” the redhead said as she climbed into the passenger side of the ambulance. “I want no part of this.”
“Me either,” the man said as he got behind the steering wheel. Cliff could see he was staring intensely into the forest. “I figured it was true. I’m glad they caught that thing. Something like that on the loose tonight would’ve been bad.”
Chapter 12
Dr. Michael Emmerich sat beside the unconscious creature and marveled at his size. It was by far the largest he’d ever seen and not just in height. He couldn’t wait to get the beast back to the laboratory so he could promptly have half of its body shaved. He’d be able to get a good look at the muscle structure and then he’d truly be able to appreciate how powerful the wood ape was. There was barely enough room in the van to contain it and though the wood ape was heavily sedated, he could not help but consider what would happen if it awoke suddenly.
Push that thought aside, he told himself.
“Dr. Emmerich, there are construction signs ahead,” the driver called out to him from the front seat.
He positioned himself so he could see out of the windshield and adjusted his blue spectacles. “We don’t have a lot of time for delays,” he said, a bit perturbed.
The driver glanced over at the passenger beside him as he pulled a map that had been tucked over the sun visor and unfolded it.